Gordon Anglesea dies: live updates and reaction

Here is the last video of him alive in public, leaving court having been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

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22:59Jez Hemming

Goodnight

That is all from me for this evening. We will have more reaction from my colleague Tom Davidson tomorrow

22:58Jez Hemming

22:57Jez Hemming

Recap

Former North Wales Police superintendent and convicted paedophile Gordon Anglesea has died in prison in Warwickshire, barely six weeks after the 79 year-old started a 12-year sentence for historic child abuse.

Gordon Anglesea in custody (Image: NCA)

22:43Jez Hemming

Police Apology

Assistant Chief Constable Richard Debicki made a statement on behalf of North Wales Police, apologising to his victims, after Anglesea (pictured in his force days) was found guilty on four counts

Gordon Anglesea

22:14Jez Hemming

Appeal Plea

Dead paedophile Gordon Anglesea was intent on appealing his conviction according to his legal team

Gordon Anglesea being led away from court after his conviction (Image: Robert Parry Jones/North Wales Police)

21:20Jez Hemming

No Comment

After his conviction on four counts of indecent assault Gordon Anglesea was tracked down to his Old Colwyn home but gave short shrift to one of our reporters

Gordon Anglesea refused to discuss his conviction with Daily Post reporter Jez Hemming at his Old Colwyn home (Image: Julian Hamilton/ Arwyn Roberts)

Community Pillar

Free Representation

The Police Federation told jailed former superintendent Gordon Anglesea he would be on his own in his appeal against his conviction.

The body - which bankrolled disgraced Anglesea’s legal fees during his trial at Mold Crown Court, confirmed it would not be paying towards his attempt to clear his name.

However, Manchester-based lawyers Burton Copeland who represented Anglesea - jailed for 12 years for sex crimes against boys going back to the 1980s - said they would represent him for free.

Former police Chief Superintendent Gordon Anglesea (middle), arrives for sentencing at Mold Crown Court in North Wales, after he was found guilty of historic sex offences.

18:43Daniel Bissett

Family life

In March 1977, he married divorcee Sandra, a mother-of-three sons, following the breakdown of his own marriage to the mother of his two oldest sons, some months earlier.

There had been some disquiet among his senior colleagues, concerned about the use of a police house intended for married couples only.

Undeterred the newly weds did not wait long to start a family of their own, having a daughter, Elizabeth, in 1978. Tragedy struck when she died from a heart condition aged five. A photograph of father and daughter together would later be used in a libel action against media organisations.

Two years later, in 1985, having successfully reversed a vasectomy, Anglesea became a father again, with a son.

Gordon Anglesea in custody (Image: NCA)

18:35Daniel Bissett

Rising through the ranks

Gordon Anglesea said he was inspired to become a policeman after seeing the 1950 crime drama The Blue Lamp starring actor Jack Warner as seasoned PC Jack Dixon of Dock Green.

After being demobbed from National Service during which he served with the RAF based in Cyprus, he made his ambition a reality becoming a rookie in 1956.

His rise through the ranks was steady, from uniform covering Llandudno he transferred to CID in Hawarden. Later he became chief inspector at Ruabon between 1975 and 1983 before promotion to superintendent of Colwyn Bay.

Gordon Anglesea outside Mold Crown Court

17:32Jez Hemming

Libel Victory

In 1994 Gordon Anglesea won a major court victory against the Independent on Sunday and Private Eye following both publications printing allegations he was a paedophile.

Anglesea sued them for libel, along with Welsh broadcaster HTV and The Observer, and the former North Wales Police superintendent won £375,000 in costs.

He said allegations he had sexually abused boys at the Bryn Estyn care home were false and the libel victory was a “vindication”.

Gordon Anglesea

17:10Tom Davidson

Handing over to Jez Hemming

That’s all the news from me, Jez Hemming will have more reaction this evening.

“As with all deaths in custody, the independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”

16:58Tom Davidson

Ministry of Justice statement imminent

I am expecting a statement from the Ministry of Justice any moment.

16:54Tom Davidson

Anglesea had been in prison in Warwickshire

The Daily Post understands that Gordon Anglesea had been serving his prison sentence for sexual abuse at HMP Rye Hill which is in Rugby, Warwickshire.

16:43Tom Davidson

Steve Messham was abused in North Wales

Mr Messham was not one of the victims for whom Anglesea was convicted of abusing

16:32Tom Davidson

Anglesea arrested in 2013

Gordon Anglesea, 79, was arrested in 2013 as part of the National Crime Agency’s Operation Pallial investigation into historical abuse across North Wales. Three years later he was convicted. Less than six weeks after that, he’s now dead.

16:26Tom Davidson

No comment from Private Eye

I am told that Private Eye will not be commenting at this stage. They were one of the publications Anglesea successfully sued for damages in 1994 when they implied, correctly, he was a paedophile.

Gordon Anglesea sued The Independent on Sunday and Private Eye for libel after they printed allegations he was a paedophile (Image: IOS/Private Eye)

16:22Tom Davidson

Statement from his solicitor

Mike Mackey, from the Manchester-based firm Burton Copeland, said:

“I understand he died this morning.

“However, he died in a hospital bed having been admitted some days ago.”

16:13Tom Davidson

No statement from Ministry of Justice yet

I am expecting a statement from the Ministry of Justice but it has not been issued yet.

I’m told there will be no comment from the National Crime Agency, who helped convict him through Operation Pallial.

Gordon Anglesea, 79, outside Mold Crown Court

16:09Tom Davidson

Abuse took place at Home Office centre

The abuse took place at a Home Office centre for young offenders and a children’s home in the 1980s.

Anglesea had denied visiting Bryn Estyn, which was used by paedophiles to abuse kids, but the trial at Mold Crown Court heard he was regularly seen there.

Bryn Estyn

16:06Tom Davidson

Anglesea given libel damages in 1994

In 1994, Anglesea was awarded £375,000 in libel damages after media organisations ran stories about his links to abuse at children’s homes in North Wales.

Last month is was finally proved the stories about his behaviour were correct and Anglesea had sexually abused children.

Front Page of the North Wales Weekly News - which is now proven to be false

15:59Tom Davidson

Anglesea was attempting to appeal his conviction

In November, the retired police officer lodged an appeal against his convictions for three indecent assaults on one boy and one indecent assault on another.

15:56Tom Davidson

Circumstances of his death

At this stage the cause of death is not known.

His solicitor has told the Daily Post Anglesea was admitted to hospital “some days ago” and died this morning.

Gordon Anglesea in custody (Image: NCA)

15:52Tom Davidson

Anglesea's history in North Wales

At the time of his sentencing the Daily Post looked into the history of Anglesea and of sexual abuse in North Wales.

Read all the stories here:

15:45Tom Davidson

Anglesea was given 12 years in prison

Gordon Anglesea, who always maintained his innocence, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. He served less than six weeks before his death this morning.

Archive picture - Gordon Anglesea

15:43Tom Davidson

Anglesea leaving court

This is a video of Anglesea being led away after he was sentenced to 12 years behind bars

15:41Tom Davidson

Judge's remarks when sentenced

Anglesea was jailed on November 4, this year.

He was sentenced at Mold Crown Court to 12 years for sexually abusing boys in the 1980s.

Judge Geraint Walters said that the defendant was in a position of power over the victims – and to a young boy that power it must have seemed greater than in reality it was.

“You were beyond reproach,

“You do not need me to say that as a person whose obligation it was to uphold the law and protect the vulnerable, your offences against those vulnerable boys grossly abused the trust placed in you.

“The consequences for them has been profound, indeed life changing.”

15:36Tom Davidson

No statement from the Ministry of Justice

We are awaiting a statement from the Ministry of Justice but the news was confirmed by his solicitor this afternoon.

15:35Tom Davidson

Appeal process was underway

Anglesea died while the appeal process against his convictions for child sexual abuse were ongoing. He always maintained his innocence.

Gordon Anglesea being led away from court after his conviction (Image: Robert Parry Jones/North Wales Police)